ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville women’s soccer team will play 11 home matches in 2014 as head coach Michelle Demko announced the Bulldogs schedule for the upcoming season this afternoon.

Demko’s club will play under the lights at home for the first time this season thanks to a grant from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority as both Greenwood Soccer and Baseball Fields are now lighted. Asheville is schedule to play five home matches at night this year.

"In looking at this year's schedule, I am excited for the opportunity ahead of us. As a program, our expectation is to compete with teams on our schedule and win games,” stated Demko. “Our non-conference schedule is competitive but it's what we need to prepare for the talent we will see in the Big South Conference. Chattanooga, Alabama State and Belmont will be three new opponents to campus.

“We have 11 home games and are looking forward to having the students, as well as our community, get behind our program,” added Demko. “We have added more depth and speed to our roster this year. We have players that will continue to push this program forward. I think we will be exciting to watch."

The Bulldogs begin play with an exhibition game at mountain rival Western Carolina on Aug. 15. Demko thinks this will be a good test for Asheville.

“We have a great pre-season game against Western Carolina that will allow us to compete at a high level and really challenge the players in every aspect on the field for 90 minutes,” declared Demko.

Asheville opens the regular season at Greenwood Field against Southern Conference foe Chattanooga on Aug. 22 starting at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs head to USC Upstate on Aug. 24 before returning home to play four straight home matches. Asheville will host Wofford (Aug. 29), Mars Hill (Aug. 31), Alabama State (Sept. 5) and South Carolina State (Sept. 7) during the homestand.

The Blue & White travel to Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 12) and Alabama A&M (Sept. 21) with a home game vs. Belmont (Sept. 14) in between.

Big South Conference action starts on Sept. 24 with Campbell making a visit to Greenwood Field. The Bulldogs hit the road for three league matches against Presbyterian College (Sept. 27), defending league champ Liberty (Oct. 1) and Charleston Southern (Oct. 4).

Demko’s club is home for conference foes Winthrop (Oct. 8) and Radford (Oct. 11). The Bulldogs finish the regular season with four matches as they’ll host Coastal Carolina (Oct. 18) and Gardner-Webb (Oct. 28) and journey to High Point (Oct. 15) and Longwood (Oct. 25).

The Big South Conference tournament begins with quarterfinal action the week of Oct. 31 at home sites of the top four finishers in league play. Semifinals and championship matches are slated for Bryan Park in Greensboro (Nov. 7 & 9).